UNDP Jobs - 54236- Strategic Planning Advisor

Strategic Planning Advisor

Location :

Juba, SOUTH SUDAN

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

04-Mar-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

P-5

Duration of Initial Contract :

One year

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

As a new nation, South Sudan has the dual challenge of dealing with the legacy of over 50 years of conflict and continued instability, as well as huge development deficits. The on-going conflict and the resulting humanitarian challenges have highlighted the fragility of peace. While the immediate diplomatic focus will remain on bringing peace back to the country, longer-term efforts to avoid another conflict and re-build South Sudan will require significant support from the international community. Even though the current political, security, and development dynamics make achieving results difficult, the United Nations (UN) remains a natural interlocutor to facilitate international engagement in support of ending the conflict and achieving peace and security in the country.

The mandate of the Office of the DSRSG/RC/HC is to ensure a coherent, integrated approach and coordination between the United Nations Country Team (composed of 19 agencies), UNMISS, and humanitarian partners, in the planning and implementation of the UN peacekeeping, development and humanitarian mandates. The DSRSG/RC/HC in South Sudan coordinates the operations of the UN agencies and is directly responsible for UNMISS Gender Unit, HIV/AIDS Unit, Child Protection Unit, and UN Mine Action Service. The DSRSG/RC/HC is also entrusted with the overall responsibility to move the aid effectiveness agenda and donor coordination forward.

Under the direct supervision of the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (DSRSG/RC/HC), the Strategic Adviser provides advice and support to the DSRSG/RC/HC in his strategic leadership role in priority setting and evidence-based programming for results. The incumbent will help the DSRSG/RC/HC ensure joint efforts, including with the peacekeeping mission, are coordinated and maximized as the UN assists South Sudan in delivering on its peace-building priorities. The incumbent's main duties and responsibilities are.

Duties and Responsibilities

UN strategic positioning:

Advise the DSRSG/RC/HC on areas of strategic focus, prioritization and appropriately tailored implementation mechanisms to ensure alignment between national priorities and UN comparative advantages;
Identify high impact opportunities and provide substantive inputs to promote UN engagement in upstream policy and programme dialogues and coordinate the development of UN policy papers, position papers, and key messages for joint UN advocacy in areas that may call for a coordinated response;
Advise and support the planning, development, implementation, M&E and reporting for key strategic documents, including the Common Country Analysis (CCA), Country Assessment, and UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) in consultation and coordination with the PMT and other relevant stakeholders;
Provide recommendations to the DSRSG/RC/HC and the UN Country Team on UN reform ‘Delivering as One’ and UNDG policies, guidelines and tools.

Aid Effectiveness and UN coordination:

Advise the DSRSG/RC/HC on aid effectiveness challenges and solutions in the context of South Sudan;
Support the UN Country Team in improving performance against Paris Declaration indicators, and advise strengthened UN alignment, harmonization, results orientation, and accountability;
Serve as the UN focal point for Government counterparts in the area of aid effectiveness and donor coordination;
Support the DSRSG/RC/HC in identifying opportunities for joint strategies between the UN Country Team and UNMISS to maximize the collective impact of the UN’s activities in the country;
Liaise with OCHA and UNMISS, to ensure complementarity in policy advice to the DSRSG/RC/HC;
Facilitate strategic, programmatic and operational support to strengthening the linkage between humanitarian and development activities.

Strengthening UN strategic response through joint programming, monitoring and evaluation and reporting:

Lead inter-agency efforts to develop a joint strategy document (including a results and M&E framework) that informs the UN and stakeholders of the UN’s top programmatic and operational priorities in South Sudan;
Coordinate inputs for periodic monitoring and report on progress and results against the strategy’s benchmarks and indicators;
Identify high impact opportunities and potential areas for joint programming, and provide strategic and technical advice on the development and implementation of joint programmes;
Prepare and coordinate UN Country Team inputs to UNMISS analytical and reporting processes (for example SRSG briefs and reports of the Secretary General) to ensure common analysis and representation of UN wide issues;

Enhancing strategic partnerships for better results:

Provide advice and support to the DSRSG/RC/HC/RR and the UNCT in ensuring that programme and operational decisions are taken in the best interests of the people of South Sudan;
Support the DSRSG/RC/HC in developing and nurturing strategic partnerships with relevant stakeholders including Government (at national and state levels), UN agencies, development partners, NGOs, CBOs, FBOs and the private sector to strengthen UN leadership, improve the coherence of collective support to national priorities, and assist with resource mobilization for joint plans;
Provide input and guidance to the development of funding mechanisms;
Maintain close working relationships with UNMISS to ensure a coordinated and complementary approach to peace consolidation in South Sudan;
Liaise with UN headquarters personnel working issues handled by DPKO, DOCO, PBSO, and UNDP to ensure reporting is targeted and coherent, and to facilitate approval processes for key planning documents and reports;
Undertake other tasks as may be requested by the DSRSG/RC/HC/RR.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
Advocates and promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UN;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional Competencies:

Strategic vision and strong analytical capabilities. Good political judgment;
Demonstrated tracked record of strategic planning;
Extensive knowledge of UN system, procedures and operational activities;
Dependability, reliability and initiative;
Demonstrated ability to design and implement information and knowledge management systems;
Recent country and/or regional experience in capacity development;
Proven advocacy skills in complex policy environments.

Researching, Planning and Organizing:

Excellent research, analytical planning, organizational and management skills;
Ability to plan own work and coordinate the work of others;
Capacity to deliver tasks on time and to meet goals, including in highly pressured, insecure environments;
Manages conflicting priorities and / or with limited supervision;
Develops innovative approaches to deal with complex policy/technical issues.

Managing Relationships:

Ability to work under pressure and to effectively handle multiple tasks without compromising quality, team spirit and positive working relationships;
Cultural sensitivity, strong interpersonal and communication skills;
Ability to work as part of team, and carry responsibilities of the larger team as needed;
Demonstrated well developed people management and organizational skills;
Excellent negotiating and networking skills;
Builds strong relationships with partners, focuses on impact for the client and responds positively to feedback;
Ability to implement new systems and affect staff behavioral / attitudinal change;
Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.

Judgment/Decision-Making:

Ability to negotiate at decision-making level;
Mature judgment and initiative, combined with a very strong analytical talent;
Proven ability to provide strategic direction in her/his area of expertise;
Independent judgment and discretion in advising on handling major policy issues and challenges.

Knowledge Management and Learning:

Ability to strongly promote and build knowledge products;
Seeks and applies knowledge, information and best practices from within and outside the UN System.

Professionalism:

Conceptual and strategic analytical capacity to analyze and articulate the dimensions of complex issues requiring a coordinated UN response;
Demonstrated problem-solving skills and ability to use sound judgment in applying technical expertise to resolve issues/problems;
Strong leadership and negotiating skills and ability to influence others to reach agreement;

Communications:

Excellent communication (spoken and written) skills, including the ability to convey concepts and recommendations to staff at various levels in stakeholder organizations, both orally and in writing, in a clear, concise style;
Ability to draft/edit a variety of reports, presentations and communications.

Planning & Organizing:

Ability to facilitate and coordinate the work of others, in this case the working groups, work to tight deadlines and handle concurrent projects/activities.

Teamwork:

Very good interpersonal skills, including ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries;
Ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity;
Ability to handle effectively multiple tasks without compromising quality, team spirit and positive working relationships
Ability to work under pressure with minimum supervision, with efficiency, competence and integrity with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master Degree preferably in public administration, management, international studies or other relevant field with management experience; or an equivalent combination of relevant education, extensive management experience in a related area.

Experience:

Minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience, 7 years of which must be in the field of international development including experience working in post conflict, peace building and inter-agency settings;
Strategic vision, strong analytical capabilities and good political judgment;
Experience with resource mobilization and donor coordination;
Extensive experience with strategic advisory, UN coordination, aid effectiveness agenda and UN joint programming and management;
Substantial experience in aid effectiveness, coordination and management in relief, recovery and development;
Experience in development, transition and humanitarian coordination;
Experience with UN coordination and understanding of agency mandates, particularly with the UNDG’s guidelines, rules and procedures;
Experience of working with UN agencies, multilaterals, donors, and international NGOs;
Working experience in Africa, particularly in South Sudan, would be an asset.

Language Requirements:

Excellent knowledge of English.